Our Practice Providers
Amber Monroe, LMFT
Amber Monroe is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist located in La Mesa, CA. Amber is passionate about helping clients find peace, health, and balance in their lives. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work at San Diego State University in 2001, followed by obtaining her master’s degree from the University of Phoenix in 2005. Amber then worked in the mental health field as an associate intern until she obtained her Marriage and Family License in 2010.
Throughout her career, she has strategically worked in diverse mental health settings, in order to increase her effectiveness, i.e. teen group homes, foster/adoption agencies, residential eating disorder facilities, psychiatric hospitals, regional centers, crisis houses, and Kaiser psychiatry. In 2017, Amber began her private practice, specializing in trauma, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and codependency. Amber’s approach to therapy combines evidence-based practices, including Eye Movement Reprocessing Desensitization (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Amber believes that many of her clients experience mental health symptoms because of traumatic or negatively impactful events in their lives.
Christine Alvarenga, LPCC
Christine Alvarenga, LPCC is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, an EMDR certified therapist, and a consultant-in-training. Her areas of specialty are eating disorders and trauma for adults aged 18+. Christine received supervision from Amber Monroe from 2018 to 2020. Christine began working with eating disorders in 2014, and has worked at residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of care. She has experience treating adults, adolescents, individuals, groups, couples, and families.
While completing her practicum traineeship at an adult women's eating disorder residential treatment center, she piloted a program for individual Dialectical Behavior Therapy skill training, and has 8 of years experience in DBT skill coaching. In 2019, Christine supported the launch of a program that integrated trauma- informed modalities, including EMDR and neurofeedback, into eating disorder treatment. Christine has been practicing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing since 2019 and became a certified EMDR therapist in 2021. She has been trained in the Flash Technique, which helps quickly reduce the level of disturbance for severely painful or distressing memories. She has also taken advanced trainings for working with attachment trauma and dissociation. If you would like to work with Christine, please feel free to contact her directly at calvarenga@healingbalancetherapy.com.
Vivianne Noetzel, ACSW
In her work, Vivianne uses a holistic and evidence-based approach, integrating techniques such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and somatic practices that encourage the mind-body connection. Her goal is to create a supportive, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their struggles with food and body image while developing lasting coping strategies and self-compassion.
In addition to her clinical work, Vivianne is passionate about raising awareness around the mental health aspects of eating disorders and advocating for greater access to comprehensive, compassionate care. She is dedicated to helping clients achieve recovery, rebuild their relationship with food, and foster a sense of peace with their bodies.
Vivianne is a Associate Clinical Social Worker who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and co-occurring mental health challenges. She received her Master’s in Social Work from California State University Los Angeles in 2022 and has worked with individuals of all ages, helping them build healthier relationships with food, their bodies, and themselves.
Vivianne has experience working at various levels of care, including Residential, PHP and IOP programs in addition to community based mental health programs.
